Anna Wittstruck

Davidson College Music Department invites the public to a Concert Series performance by cellist Anna Wittstruck on Sunday afternoon, January 29. The concert begins at 3 p.m. in Tyler-Tallman Hall of the Sloan Music Center.

Wittstruck will be accompanied by Davidson College pianist Cynthia Lawing in a performance of three works — 1.) Beethoven’s 7 Variations in E-flat Major on “Bei Mannern, welche Liebe fuhlen” from Die Zauberflote by Mozart for Cello and Piano (composed 1801) 2.) Poulenc’s Sonate pour violoncelle et piano, op. 143 (composed 1948), and 3.) Shostakovich’s Sonata for Cello and Piano in D minor, op. 40 (composed in 1934).

Ms. Wittstruck, a native of Asheville and granddaughter of Bill and Mary Vinson of Davidson, is currently completing a PhD in musicology at Stanford University. She has performed as a soloist with the Charlotte and Hendersonville Symphonies, and appeared as a soloist with the Stanford Philharmonia this past fall.

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Art prof. Shaw Smith tells visitors about Magdalena Abakanowicz's "The Group of 10" at Wednesday's opening. More photos below. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Brad Thomas with a Roualt donated to the college collection. (Bill Giduz photo)

Brad Thomas, Davidson College’s art gallery director since 1999, has found a new perch: As curator of contemporary art at the Mint Museum in Charlotte. Mint officials announced Thursday that he will start the new job Monday, Jan 23, at the museum in downtown Charlotte.

On Wednesday night, Mr. Thomas was at the college’s Van Every/Smith Galleries, saying farewells and accepting pats on the back from friends during an opening for a show of recent acquisitions that shows the stamp he has put on Davidson’s permanent collection. Read the full story

By BILL KISER
DavidsonNews.net

Local musicians take the spotlight this weekend at clubs around the area. On Thursday night, Davidson’s Summit Coffee will hold its Songwriters Showcase, with performances by Jackie Moseley, Summit’s 2011 Songwriter of the Year winner, and Cambridge, Mass., folk singer Matthew Alexander. And on Saturday night, The Birdsnest in Davidson will hold its After Holiday Jam. The second-annual event will feature music by Billy Jones and Mason Bissett. Read the full story

A reception at Davidson College Wednesday night will mark the opening of several new exhibits and celebrate publication of this new book titled "Davidson Collects," essays by 100 Davidson students about works from the college's art collection.

By BILL KISER
DavidsonNews.net

Davidson College will hold a series of lectures and other events at Alvarez Student Union on Monday as part of the college’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration. And there’s plenty more going on in the area this week, as well – from organ music to an art exhibit opening to the start of the three-weekend VisitLakeNorman.org Soccer Series.

On Tuesday night, a performance by organist Susan Bates kicks off the second half of Davidson College Presbyterian Church’s Organ at Davidson series, with a reception to follow. Wednesday night, Davidson College’s Van Every/Smith Galleries will host an exhibit of recent gifts and acquisitions, a selection of works by artist Sean Scully and the launch of “Davidson Collects: 100 Writers Respond to Art,” a book that includes essays by 100 college students on works in the school’s permanent art collection. Read the full story

The Cockman Family plays Saturday in the Mooresville Concerts series.

By BILL KISER
DavidsonNews.net

In the mood to hear – or sing – some good music? The gospel-singing  Cockman Family will perform Saturday night in the Mooresville Concert Series, while singers are invited to an open house Sunday for the North Mecklenburg Community Chorus. Meanwhile, many area venues will have live music this weekend, including Summit Coffee and the Lake Norman Cottage in Davidson. Also below, news about sports, a children’s show at Armour Street Theater, the Polar Bear Ride in Davidson and a Polar Bear Plunge at the YMCA in Cornelius. Read the full story

Susan Heaton Bates

As a high school organ student at Davidson College, Susan Heaton Bates fell in love with the pipe organ and was organist for Davidson United Methodist Church in the late 1960s. After a lengthy music ministry at West Market Street UMC in Greensboro, last year she became Organist and Music Associate at Centenary United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem.

Ms. Bates returns to Davidson next Tuesday night for a performance in the Organ at Davidson series at Davidson College Presbyterian Church. It’s the fourth in a seven concert series offered annually from September through May on the refurbished Wicks organ at Davidson College Presbyterian Church. Read the full story